Overview

• Three people were hospitalized after the Edisto Beach blaze, with one airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina, according to Colleton County Fire-Rescue.
• Occupants escaped by jumping from an elevated first floor and were rescued from marshy terrain by kayak, officials said.
• Judge Diane Goodstein was out walking her dogs when the fire began, while her husband, Arnold Goodstein, and their son were among those injured, local reports said.
• SLED says its investigation remains active and urged against sharing unverified claims, as the state judiciary requested extra patrols and limited further comment.
• The incident follows Goodstein’s September order temporarily blocking the release of millions of voter records to the DOJ, later reversed, which drew threats and political rhetoric that officials say has not been tied to the fire.